12 Things Your Poop Says About Your Health

In the 21st century, we have finally understood that watching our health is important. Yet we often forget to pay attention to the signals our body sends us. Have you ever analyzed your stool? As gross as it may sound, its color and shape can reveal a lot about your health.

Bright Side has collected information that may help you take another step toward good health. Read until the end, and stay informed!

Poop color

As you probably know, the normal color of stool is brown. It may vary slightly from time to time depending on what you eat, but a sudden color change for no obvious reason can be a warning sign. So let’s find out what’s what.

1. White

Whitish, grayish, or clay-colored stool indicates a lack of bile. It may hint at problems with the liver and gallbladder as these are organs where bile is produced and stored. It can be anything from blocked bile ducts and gallstones to cirrhosis.

Poop shape

If you still don’t believe that watching your stool is normal, some scientific research may convince you. To distinguish the types of poop and help people stay healthy, scientists from the Bristol Royal Infirmary created the Bristol stool chart. It describes 7 types of feces and what they mean.

2.

Appearance: Sausage-shaped, large, and lumpy.

Meaning: Constipation.

This type of stool is also caused by a lack of fiber. Nondietary reasons for constipation may include long-term antidiarrhea medicine intake and lack of physical activity. The advice is to eat more fruits and vegetables and perform exercises.

5.

6.

Appearance: Fluffy pieces with ragged edges.

Meaning: Mild diarrhea.

Maybe there’s too much fiber in your diet. Drink more to avoid dehydration, and stick to boiled potatoes and bananas. You may also want to try some OTC, like Imodium or Pepto-Bismol. If the problem lasts more than 2 days, consult a doctor.